Despite his name, Sincere Rhea is largely considered the villain of Love Island USA season 8, and over his six weeks in the Villa, he and Melanie Moreno went through…a lot. As the show’s narrator, Iain Stirling, put it ahead of their first real date during the season finale, “They’ve made each other cry, split up countless times, explored other people, been warned off each other by their own families and, yet, this is somehow their first date. Cute.”
Sure, fans haven’t exactly been thrilled with how he and Melanie moved in their relationship throughout the season—but they still made it to the finale as one of the final four couples. But amid all the “Insincere” Sincere comments and online chatter, several of his fellow Islanders have also come forward to share how they really feel about him. So, did he just get the infamous villain edit that’s kept reality TV pushing for decades? Or is he really that chaotic? It’s more complicated than you’d think. Here’s what Love Island USA season 8 cast members have said about Sincere after getting booted from the Villa.
Sol Dean
It’s safe to say Sincere’s first “beloved” bombshell, Sol Dean, isn’t really a fan of him these days. After he explored a connection with her only to end up back with Melanie, she stood her ground and confronted him for leading her on.
However, after she was “put out of her misery” and booted from the Villa, Sol sat down with People for an exit interview, where she claimed he was “ping-ponging” between her and Melanie.
“I was led on at the end of the day,” she told the publication. “He was telling me one thing, and I just took him at face value with that. I knew that his and Melanie’s connection was really strong.”
She added, “I called them out after. I felt like I had to. I said what I needed to get off my chest. But, I mean, if they’re happy, I’m glad. I just hope that it’s healthy.”
Caleb McDaniel
Caleb, who left Sincere with a parting gift when he was eliminated, hopped on the mic with Nick Viall for his podcast, The Viall Files, to discuss his time in the Villa—including how he was “really close” with Sincere. But that didn’t stop him from keeping things real.
“I’d be the first one to tell him. I’d be like, ‘Dude, you’re fucking up.’ But instantly he’d be like, ‘Yeah, I know.’ So, he would take the accountability, which would lead me to believe that he’s not going to do it again…Then he just does it again,” Caleb explained, before saying “we should absolutely give him a shot” when it comes to continuing his relationship with Melanie outside the Villa.
Amora Robinson
Though things didn’t work out between Sincere and his Casa Amor match, Amora, she still had positive things to say about him. She also joined The Viall Files, where she admitted, “I do still think of him highly. I think he’s a good person that just has not gone about things the right way.”
She continued, “I think he just was just not honest with the connections that he was making, and I talked to him about that. I don’t hold any grudges against him. I truly do value our time that we had together…He does still have a lot to learn.
“I stand on what I said. I do still feel that way—I don’t have anything against him.”
Kenzie Annis and Dylan Wrona
Kenzie and Dylan nearly made it to the season 8 finale before they were voted off with KC Chandler and Tierra Davis, which means they’ve seen Sincere through all his phases. The couple hopped on a livestream, where they revealed how they really felt about their castmate (with, err, a taxidermied bear in the background?).
They both claimed to love Sincere, with Kenzie chiming in, “But I also love Melanie. I love both of them, and I wish them the best.”
Dylan added, “With the show, I feel like you get different perspectives of people and how they act in relationships. But as a person, I think Sincere is a great human. All the guys have talked about him and some of the mistakes that he’s made, and the thing that I respect about Sincere is he owns up about them.”
He also believes Sincere has “put in his best effort” to “amend his past mistakes.”
Beatriz Hatz
Big B and the “B” stands for business, which she’s fully standing on. Bea left the Villa earlier in the season and seemingly kept up with the show as it progressed, and let’s just say she had some interesting things to say about Sincere and the way he was moving with Melanie, Sol, and Amora.
“So intent versus outcome are very different. He might have pure intentions, but he’s going about it in a way that the outcome isn’t gonna be great,” Bea revealed on The Viall Files back in June. “He is gonna be hurting both of these girls at the same time. I truly don’t think that’s his intention. I think it’s more of, ‘Dang, I don’t wanna hurt anybody’s feelings, so I’m gonna hurt everybody’s feelings.’”
Uh, okay, interesting logic here…but I see what you mean, Bea!
Sean Reifel
Sean was the first Islander who was voted off this season, but he still might know more about the situation than any of us.
“I don’t appreciate the ‘insincere’ statement. I think it’s funny,” Sean told Entertainment Weekly in June. “I see the comedic part of it, but also I think you’re judging his entire persona off him as a dating partner in a relationship that’s open…he’s one of the most down-to-earth people. I love conversations with him and he’s such a good friend to have.”
Though he came to his defense, Sean clarified that he “can’t speak” on the decisions Sincere was making in his connections. He also urged fans to “please show my brother some grace” because the experience of being on the show is “not normal.”
“You rarely get put in these situations where you’re in the bed with someone one night and then America votes and you’re in the bed with someone another night. Then you’re in a relationship and you’re trying to move forward and then there’s this challenge to where you’re making out with someone else and then this person also is sleeping three beds down from you kind of thing,” Sean added.
